Artist: Jen Bye Album: Jen Bye
Worth Buying: Yes the whole album
You will be interested in this album if you like: Alanis Morrisette, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Liz Phair
Tell me more: Jen Bye is an LA based independent artist and this is her self titled debut from 2002. It's only 6 tracks, but it is 6 GREAT tracks. And to be honest, I would rather hear a short album with outstanding tracks then a longer album with a lot of medicore filler that I would just delete from my player anyways. The album opens with an excerpt of an angry and impassioned preacher warning his listeners about the evils or Rock'n'Roll. This clip is clearly taken from the 1950's, as no modern preacher would say anything like this today. It might seem out of context with a modern album, but it seemed to lead perfectly into the album's opening number Bloody Fingers
with it's defiant lyrics of youthfull rebellion and chorus of "Maybe your Jesus will come for you".Stylisticly Jen's music has the ethereal and surreal quality you would associate with Fiona Apple, but with the aggression of a woman who wants to Rock. Even a slower tempo song like Take Me As I Am
feels like it's on the verge of exploding into the heavy guitar arena (The song never does though, which adds to it's power). In fact, only the song Drinks With Jezabel actually has that delicate, lilting, softer sound that one would associate with some of the female artists that I have already mentioned . What about the packaging? This album is no longer available on CD but Listen to samples and purchase in mp3 format here
What if I am not ready to buy the whole album? Hey El Cheapo, It's only $5.94 on Amazon. But If I could pick only one song it would be the opening track Bloody Fingers
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